"Theatre" by S. Maugham (Chapter 14)

I. Find in the text the following words and phrases and translate them into Russian:
on one excuse and another – под одним или другим предлогом
to confess to oneself – признаться самому себе
that was all to the good – это все было к лучшему
shrewd – проницательный
vanity – тщеславие
to have an affair with smb. – иметь роман с кем-то
sallow – болезненный
to feel compassion for smb. – чувствовать сострадание к кому-либо
eminent persons – видный деятель
to lay no claims on sb. – не иметь никаких претензий по поводу кого-либо
to use all her arts of cajolery – призывать все свое искусство обольщения
stale food – несвежая еда
to overcome one's scruples – преодолеть сомнения
to have no inclination – не иметь склонности,
a man of the world – светский человек
she was modest about herself – она была скромного о себе мнения
a smack in the face – прямо в лицо
sulkily – угрюмо
Julia's heart was wrung – сердце Джулии сжалось
chivalrous courtesy – рыцарская учтивость, любезность
a vile disposition – подлый/ужасный нрав
alacrity – готовность
wistful – задумчивый
 to act with great naturalness – изображать с большой естественностью
she was in a black rage – она была в черной ярости
she'd get even with him – она с ним поквитается

to rack one's brains –ломать голову над чем-либо.

II. Answer the following questions:
1. Was Julia really in love with Tom Fennell? And he?
No I don't think so, I think she just wanted to be loved. And Tom was an appropriate person for it. He was younger, so she reckoned on his blind love.
2. How old was Tom? What did he do? Why was he a success with women?
Tom was twenty-two years old. "...There was something appealing in his slightness, his body was just skin and bone, that was why his clothes sat on him so well, and something charming in his clean freshness. His shyness and his effrontery combined to make him irresistible. It was strangely flattering for a woman..."
3. How can you characterize Roger? Where was he educated? What were his relations like with his parents? Did he know what he wanted to be? Did he want to go on the stage?
As the author describes him, Roger was a nice-looking boy, with reddish hair and blue eyes. He had neither his mother’s vivacity nor changing expression nor his father's beauty of feature. He was rather stolid and he had a serious look. He was educated in Eton. The relationship with his parents were straind.  He wanted to go to Vienna for a few months and learn German before going up to Cambridge. He did not yet know what he wanted to do in his life.
5. Was Julia as successful in the movies as in the theatre? Did she envy the film-stars?
Julia was not successful in the movies. She had some problems with it. She couldn't be there as expressive as she was on stage. She had to refuse from any of the offers from cinematograph. But Julia did not envy the film-stars because she will be on stage a long time while film-stars constantly disappeared.
6. Describe in detail how Julia managed to play different characters on the stage. What thrilled her? Why did she sometimes fell like God?
Julia adored the stage. It was her life. Only there she can feel that she really live. In the reality she just pretend in order to be loved. But on stage she felt like God. She realized it was her lif.
7. How did Julia revenge herself on Tom?
She decides to hurt his self-esteem. She reminds him of the need to leave a tip for domestics putting money in envelope.

III. Make up a list of words and phrases describing Tom Fennell. Comment on the repetition of "a young man" in the text. First "he was a blushing young man" for Julia. Did her attitude change when she was better aquainted with him? Prove it by giving examples from the text.
charmingly boyish eyes
nice little thing
his lips were soft
a perfume of youth
well-dressed
a fresh, clean look
pleasant

The author uses this repetition in order to show how Julia refers to Tom. He was her young man who made her also younger.

IV. Find in the text epithets and similes which characterize Julia and Michael and say what effect the author achieves by using them.
"she read his mind like an open book" - refers to Michael, it shows Julia's attitude to him, it characterizes her like an experienced woman who lived enough time with her husband in order to understand him and know his feelings.

V. What stylistic device did Maugham employ at large to characterize Julia? Illustrate your answer with the examples from the text. Comment on the lexicon used by Julia. To what stylistic layer of the vocabulary does it belong? How does it characterize Julia?
Julia used a lot of abusive language such as "blasted fool, bloody, damned". It belongs to low stylistic layer of the vocabulary and it characterizes her hot temper. It shows her artistic nature.

VI. Give a summary.
Julia tried to make Tom happy, she decided to change his life, to make him rich and successful. He seems snob to her and she decided to bring him to high society but soon she saw that he was not interested in her. He prefered to communicate with young people such as Julia's son Roger or Evis, a young actrees. Julia understood that Tom just used her.

"Theatre" by S. Maugham (Chapters 11-13)

I. Find the following words and phrases in the text and translate them into Russian:

a profound contempt – глубокое презрение
to have first nights – проводить премьеры,
to be exemplary – примерный
a pattern of conjugal fidelity – образец супружеской верности
to separate - расставаться
be ingenuous – быть открытым, прямолинейным,
to cry almost at will – специально разрыдаться
common sense – здравый смысл
to elope with smb. – сбежать с кем-то
preposterous – абсурдный
curtain calls – выход на поклон
prudish – чопорный
in for a penny in for a pound – назвался груздем – полезай в кузов
this was all a put-up job – подстроить что-то специально,
indecent – непристойный
in a flash – в мгновение ока,
to take liberties with smb. – быть чересчур фамильярным с кем-то
a matinee – дневной спектакль, утренник
amiably – любезно,
well-chosen words – меткие слова
to have no sequel - не иметь продолжения
to erase the episode from her memory – стирать эпизод из памяти,
pleasant reveries sauntered through her mind – приятные грезы летали в ее голове
hectic flush – лихорадочный румянец
to see in the flesh – увидеть в живую
to hurt one's pride – задеть чью-то гордость, самолюбие
to have an inkling – заподозрить что-то

to pawn – ручаться.

II. Answer the following questions:

1. How did Julia and Lord Tamerly get acquainted? Was Julia his mistress? What did Julia owe to Charles Tamerly?
They got acquainted at Dolly de Vries's luncheon which was organised because of Julia's success. Julia was not his mistress, although everybody thought in the same way. Julia owed to Tamerly because the latter helped her in the acting

2. Describe Julia's acting when Lord Tamerly declared his love to her. How can you prove that it was only make-believe?
"...She sat down and for a minute looked silently at the miniature. Timing it perfectly, she raised her eyes till they met Charles's. She could cry almost at will, it was one of her most telling accomplishments, and now without a sound, without a sob, the tears poured down her cheeks. With her mouth slightly open, with the look in her eyes of a child that has been deeply hurt and does not know why, the effect was unbearably pathetic. Then she just cried and nodded..."

3. Why do you think Julia agreed to have tea with the young man? What was his name? Did Julia know it or not?
Because it flattered her self-esteem. She was successful and she got used to bath in plentiful attention, especially from young men. Althoug she didn't know him, she was glad to accept the suggestion to have tea.

4. Was the young man as shy as he seemed to be?
No, I think he wasn't. he had his own benefits from acquaintance with Julia. He wanted to seem shy in order to be liked by Julia.

5.How did he show his admiration for Julia?
he made it clear to her that he admired her since his childhood.

6. What feelings did Julia experience after the date with the young man? How did she act after that? How old was Julia at that time? What's your opinion of Julia's behaviour?
When the young man begins to kiss her, Julia submits. To her surprise she likes it. She understands that it is very stupid, but anyway she feels younger. she understands that she falls in love. Then Julia decided to make the young man happy. She tries to attach him to herself by means of rich presents, payment of his debts, etc.
I think her behaviour looks like the behaviour of a young girl whe wants to be loved.

7. Describe the episode of Julia's adventure on the train to Cannes. What was Julia's attitude towards this accident? Give quotations from the text and comment on them. What do you think of this adventure?
Going to Cannes she made acquaintance with the attache at the Spanish Embassy in Paris who was going to Cannes for Easter. He gave her his place in the sleeper, for there were no free ones. They spent the night together, and after a while it turned out that he had a family. But as time passed Julia's indignation was mitigated.
"...she had often thought of the adventure since with a good deal of pleasure. After all it had been fun. Sometimes she allowed her reveries to run away with her and she went over in her fancy the incidents of that singular night. He had been a most agreeable lover. It would be something to look back on when she was an old woman. He remained in her recollection, and in her bones, without a name..."

8. When did Julia see Tom Fennell again? Under what circumstances?
They met again in her house. She didn’t remember his name, but later she got to know that it was that young man. He wanted to see her again, and Julia tried to refuse him, but couldn’t and agreed to meet with Tom in her dressing-room.

9. What do you think attracted Julia to Tom? How old was he?
As I said before, Julia liked to be in the spotlight. especialy in the spotlight from young men. She felt the she was still a young woman.

10. Why do you think Tom was interested in grand people?
He had his own benefits. He wanted to seem a benefactor.

11. Do you approve or disapprove of Julia's love affair with Tom Fennell?
I disapprove of it. She had her husband. and having love affair with Tom she betrayed him.


III. Make up a list of words and phrases which the author uses to show Julia's attitude towards Tom Fennell. Comment on their semantics and stylistic value.
He was like a poor lamb
a sweet little thing
Young, fresh
She could have taken him in her arms then and there and kissed his blue eyes. She adored him.
a silly little thing
a simple fool
charmingly boyish

All of these words refers to the thenantic field of youth. Julia attituded to him like to a child.

V.In chapter 11 you can find the following phrase: "... like Venus rising from the waves." What is the source of this allusion? Comment on it nd its stylistic effect.
this allusion refers to the "The Birth of Venus". It is a 1486 painting by Sandro Botticelli. It depicts the goddess Venus, having emerged from the sea as a fully grown woman, arriving at the sea-shore (which is related to the Venus Anadyomene motif).

I think the author used it in order to compare Julia with Venus. As we know Venus is a symbol of beauty and youth. It symbolize a regeneration of life. With the young Tomas Julia felt younger.

VI. Give a summary of chapters 11-13.

Julia realized that her husband didn't love her and soon she fell out of love with him. She decided to dedicate entirely herself to the stage...One day Julia received flowers from the unknown man. He turned out to be Tommas Fannel, the accountant who was hired by her husband. They began to meet, and soon Julia understood that she fell in love with him. She tried to make him happy, she changed his life, he became rich and successful, but soon she saw that Tommas was not interested in her. He prefered to communicate with young people such as Julia's son Roger or Evis, a young actrees. He promised her that he manage to make her an actrees in Julia's theatre. Julia knew it and understood that Tom just used her.